


Lisianthus

by jeejaschocolate



Series: Unus et Solus [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anniversary, Delicious Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Noctis just wants to make him smile, Omega!Ardyn, Omegaverse, Soul Bond, alpha!Noctis, ardyn is a grumpy old man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 00:45:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15158735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeejaschocolate/pseuds/jeejaschocolate
Summary: It’s Noctis and Ardyn’s one year anniversary being bonded mates. A year is nothing in the life of an immortal.And yet…(Tumblr prompt fill)





	Lisianthus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jlavisant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jlavisant/gifts).



> For my 100 followers party fun time event, jlavisant asked for fluffy Ardynoct on an anniversary. Which…just needed to be set in this ABO universe. Because I breathe it, I really do <3 <3 
> 
> Note: [A lisianthus is a type of flower](https://www.fiftyflowers.com/site_files/FiftyFlowers/Image/Product/rosita-white-lisianthus-double-closeup-500_618c53dc.jpg). Looks a little bit like a rose but it has a yellow center. Comes in many different colors, most common is white. [Here are some purple ones](http://sierraflowerfinder.blob.core.windows.net/medias/FlowerPictures/2911/lisianthus%20purple.jpg) . It’s a flower that’s well known for being used in wedding bouquets :) :) 
> 
> This takes place after “Indigeo” but before “Creo.” They don’t have any kids yet and Ardyn is still taking birth control, not sure if he’ll ever be ready. Still pretty early in their relationship.
> 
> For all my people in Ardyn Hell <3 <3

Ardyn knew something was going on right away. He didn’t even need to use his nose—though if he had, he would have smelled nothing but his alpha’s crackling nerves and the smoky, oily scent of secretive excitement. Similar to the smell of myrrh. 

(Not that anyone had used or even talked about myrrh as a thing in the last five hundred years or so, but. Ardyn remembered. He remembered many things.)

Noctis had worked himself into some kind of fervor. From the moment they woke up—actually in the morning time for once—he was restless. Flitting from room to room. Asking if Ardyn needed anything. Breakfast, coffee…

“What about a bloody mary?” Noctis winked at him. “I’ll even ask them to put a strip of bacon in it downstairs. How about that?”

On reflex, Ardyn’s mouth watered at the thought of spicy tomato juice, vodka, and freshly cooked bacon…he licked his lips without thinking. Damn, did being an omega make him hungrier or something? These days—ever since he’d be turned, and his whole body had decided to rearrange his hormones like rearranging furniture in a newly remodeled house, some parts were over here when they used to be over there, this was suddenly better than that—he so often found himself with cravings. For food and…other things.

Being an omega was a life of yearning. Ardyn had come to realize that. He’d more or less gotten used to silencing the needy part inside of him that would always ( _always_ ) crave Noctis’s knot. But the need never fully went away. It resided just underneath his skin, ready to unearthed itself at the drop of a hat. Whenever Noctis wanted, or whenever Ardyn demanded.

…That aside, Noctis offering him a bloody mary at 9:00 in the morning was just unheard of. This went beyond even their usual decadence. 

Ardyn narrowed his eyes in suspicion. What was this, another secret to bonded life that Ardyn wasn’t aware of? Yet another unspoken tradition? Was he about to go downstairs and run into Ignis, who would calmly explain that the gods demanded an omega sacrifice—?

“What’s wrong, Ardyn?” Noctis sat down next to him on the bed. He pressed their foreheads together and scented his omega. Hard. Not shying away from the intimacy of it.

Naturally Ardyn broke out into shivers. His body always reacted to Noctis’s scenting in this way. Being scented felt like an inspection of his entire being. From the most private places on his body to the thoughts buried deep inside. Noctis, with his sharp alpha nose, could sense them all.

Fine. Let him have it then. Ardyn had well and truly tipped his whole hand by now. They’d been together long enough. He had no more secrets. 

He shrugged his shoulders, letting himself be scented. “Why, nothing. Go on, see for yourself. I’m an open book, my love.” 

Noctis’s nose wiggled as he contemplated Ardyn’s smell. He twisted his lips to one side. A flash of disappointment ran across his face and through his aura for just a moment. Then it was gone. 

“Don’t worry, babe,” Noctis said casually. Rising to his feet. “You’re not getting sacrificed or anything, okay?”

“Well, that’s good. I suppose a man can only have his mortal body sacrificed for the good of humanity so many times in his life. Before it starts getting tired.” Ardyn laid back down on the bed, ready to pack it in and get some more sleep.

The past few months, little by little, Ardyn was getting more comfortable talking about his past. He would bring it up in casual conversation sometimes, a small tidbit of history. Regis loved that. Then, when he was alone with Noctis, Ardyn might speak of a distant memory that was closer to his heart. Something he wasn’t ready to share with anyone else in their fledgling pack/family/royal retinue/boy band or what have you. Just with Noctis. Memories of his childhood. Of Solheim…

He’d been thinking a lot about Solheim lately. He didn’t know why. But as his life settled here, he couldn’t help being reminded of his first home. The only other time when he felt secure. Settled. Back then, love was a less freely given thing. Love was not a gift, rather it was a goal. If you could scale a mountain of obstacles, political favors, battles, trials, then perhaps there was love waiting for you at the end. A hard-won affection that people would tell stories about later. Warriors who fought for their true love’s hand. The stuff of legends.

Not so with Noctis. With Noctis, love was a state of being. He did everything with love. And Ardyn knew—he’d come to accept this—that he was on the receiving end of Noctis’s most prized affection. A love that Noctis shared with no one else. Just Ardyn. 

If only Solheim could have been a place of love, then perhaps Ardyn’s fate could have been so much different. In his memory, Solheim was still a beautiful place. He roamed far and wide as a boy, delighting in the splendor of nature. 

…But where did love fit into those memories? 

Noctis laid a kiss to each one of Ardyn’s eyes. Then he rudely shook his lover awake. Out of his reverie. 

“Hmm?” Ardyn groaned, begrudgingly opening his eyes.

“Come on. I have something to do today. Want you to come with me.” Noctis was already getting dressed. 

Ardyn grumbled. Normally he didn’t accompany Noctis on his princely duties unless there was a council meeting. And he was certain they had at least a few days off from that. 

On a more personal note, Ardyn didn’t much feel like going on walkabout today. He’d been lost in his thoughts until late the night before. Contemplating the course of his life. It was a heavy topic, honestly. He needed sleep now. 

“No, thank you. Think I’ll stay in today.” Ardyn rolled over on the bed.

A rush of coldness entered the room through Noctis’s aura. Even as indisposed as he was, Ardyn raised his head at that. He saw a frustrated kind of look on Noctis’s face. 

What was all this now? More tricks?

“Just come downstairs,” Noctis wheedled. “It’ll be quick. And then you can go back to bed, okay?”

Ardyn inhaled through his nose. A long, deep breath. As an alpha, Noctis could assert his dominance over Ardyn’s willpower and drive his omega to do whatever he wanted. Using nothing but his virile scent and his overbearing aura. But Noctis never did. He never used coercion like that. Even when he really wanted something, like he did now. No. Noctis always left Ardyn to make his own choices. 

That shouldn’t have made Ardyn’s heart throb with affection the way it did. It was just Noctis showing common decency, basic respect, wasn’t it? Even so..

Truth be told, Noctis didn’t need to force Ardyn to do anything. When he looked at him with a disappointed face, Ardyn was immediately driven to do anything in his power to appease him. He so loved Noctis’s proud, happy face. Not having such a face in the world was a travesty. So, he had to…

“Fine. Only for an hour, yes?” Ardyn swung his legs onto the floor. Preparing himself to be out in the Citadel. 

“An hour sounds good.” Noctis’s face brightened once more. “Thanks.” 

A few minutes later, a fully dressed Ardyn and Noctis making their way to kitchen. Hoping to grab something fast before they started whatever work Noctis had planned for them. They ran into Ignis along the way. 

“Good morning!” Ignis called brightly. There was something extra sparkly about him today, Ardyn thought. Normally the man was chipper but reserved. Here he was all smiles and the warm smell of baking wafting around him like a cloud. “Can I get you anything, majesties? Some coffee, a plate of eggs? I made some muffins earlier if you like.” 

Ardyn thought he just wanted coffee, but. As soon as he smelled one of Ignis’s freshly baked muffins he could not resist. Damnation and hell, Ignis was wickedly good with pastries. 

“Don’t have time to sit down though, Iggy,” Noctis told him. “We’re on our way to see Dad.” 

Oh, is that what they were doing?

Ignis’s eyes flashed. He smiled secretively—had he been expecting Noctis to say that?

“Very good. His Highness is in the rotunda, I believe. You can probably find him there now.” 

Noctis scarfed down the rest of his muffin. “Thanks.” 

“Certainly.” Ignis’s eyes bounced back and forth between Ardyn and Noctis. Then he added, full of genuine tenderness, “And of course, congratulations, your majesties.” 

Ardyn frowned at him. Congratulations? For what? Getting up before noon today? That was…puzzling.

When Ardyn seemed not to understand, Ignis gave Noctis a surprised, almost startled look. Noctis shrugged and nodded. They were literally having some kind of silent conversation—was that a pack mate thing? 

“Well, that’s not very polite. Leaving people out of the conversation like that.” Ardyn scowled and stuffed his face with his muffin. 

Saying nothing, Noctis put his hand on Ardyn’s shoulder and led him down the hall. Towards the royal rotunda. An unusual place for Regis to be. There was nothing in the rotunda except a mural of all the old Lucian kings and queens. Nothing else as far as Ardyn knew.

This was getting tiresome, their game of secrets. Ardyn scented Noctis to get some more information. He wasn’t trying to be obvious about it, but of course Noctis could tell when he was being scented.

The only thing that came up in Ardyn’s mind was a picture of a bloody mary—that same damn drink Noctis had offered him this morning. 

Oh for the love of… Noctis was blocking him. Ardyn sighed dramatically. Really? This was important enough that Noctis needed to use the old trick? Focusing your thoughts on one single image so everything else faded away. A schoolboy’s prank. 

“What’s up?” Noctis smiled triumphantly at Ardyn. “Feeling thirsty, babe?” 

Ardyn rolled his eyes. He thought about firing back some quip, but he really didn’t have the energy. Although, he sincerely hoped Noctis wasn’t wasting his time. Time, for an immortal, was tantamount to patience. Ardyn had very little of that. 

Sure enough, Regis was waiting for them in the rotunda. Just standing there. An odd place for a king to be. As soon as he laid eyes on Noctis and Ardyn, his face broke out into a mellow smile.

Oh no. Ardyn knew what was coming…

Right on cue, Regis wrapped Noctis in a huge hug. He was overjoyed again today. One of those indomitable moods where he could only express himself through awkward embraces. Most frustrating of all, Regis hugged Ardyn as soon as he was finished with Noctis. Pressing his jubilant alpha scent into Ardyn’s chest. How uncouth. Regis was far too happy for a king!

Well. At least Ardyn was prepared for it this time. 

“All good to go, Dad?” Noctis asked. 

“Yes. I made sure of it. And they’re rather lovely, you know.” Regis turned around, staring into the distance. 

Following the king’s line of sight, Ardyn saw the gardens. Ah, right. The indoor courtyard that served as a type of greenhouse for a variety of plants and flowers. Ardyn had forgotten about the garden. He’d never been in it before. No need. But, undeniably, it was an attractive sort of conundrum. A patch of greenery surrounded on all sides by the cold stone of the Citadel. Bees and butterflies making the rounds from petal to petal

As he stood there, Ardyn remembered a scene from his boyhood. Sitting the gardens near his home with his brother and sister until late at night. Somnus always wanted to play some kind of sword fighting game, and Ardyn’s sister always wanted to knit crowns out of the flowers nearby. To make them happy, Ardyn did both. He was always doing that. Making people happy. That’s what he did best back then…

“Hey.” Noctis pressed his nose to Ardyn’s cheek. “Let’s go. I have something I want to show you.” 

To his surprise, Noctis led him into the garden. Into the warmth of all that greenery. The sun shone down from the high glass ceiling. Right on Ardyn’s face. He remembered a time when the daemons inside of him used to hiss and dig their claws deeper into him whenever the sun touched him. Not anymore. The daemons were weaker now.

With Noctis at his side. 

And oh, dear. Noctis was beautiful surrounded by flowers like this. Ivory beauty and stark black hair juxtaposed against all the wonderful colors of the garden. Blue Duscaen roses, golden yellow Cleigne sunflowers. A bush of mulberries, probably from Caem. Even jasmine flowers imported from Altissia. A rare sight, nothing to overlook.

“Nice, right?” 

Noctis was looking at him. He seemed a little nervous. That woodsmoke scent curling around him in wisps. 

But the garden was actually nice. So, Ardyn nodded. He had to give that to Noctis. “Yes, it is. Very nice.”

Noctis’s blue eyes were so unsure. He stared at Ardyn, waiting for him to say something. What, suddenly Ardyn was the one who had to lead? How had that happened? He was following Noctis here—they’d agreed on that much.

He shook his head and leaned in closer to his **one** , mingling their scents. “What is it, my love. What’s going on.” 

Noctis took a deep breath. He ran his hand down Ardyn’s cheek. “Ardyn. Do you really not know what today is?” 

“I haven’t the faintest idea. Tell me. What day is it?” Hadn’t they already proved that in bed this morning?

Sucking his teeth in disappointment, Noctis pulled Ardyn closer to bush on the far side of the garden. “Babe. Today is…a year. It’s exactly a year since the day we bonded.” 

As those words hit him, Ardyn’s eyebrows twitched. He rapidly thought back to the calendar—what day had they been bonded? Ardyn thought he remembered it was spring that day. Actual dates were fuzzy to him, at his age. Individual days seemed so insignificant to an immortal…

Unless you were talking about an anniversary.

“…Is it?” Ardyn asked. A smile tugged at the side of his mouth, in spite of everything. “A full year?”

“Yup. That’s right.” Noctis searched Ardyn’s face for reaction. He could see his omega’s mood coming around. 

The more Ardyn thought about it, the more sense it made. They’d seen the seasons together. They’d been through a fair share of heats and ruts. Days and days…weeks, months…

A year.

It shouldn’t mean anything to Ardyn. He’d lived for two thousand. But the idea that he’d been with Noctis for a full year, enough to see the seasons renew…it meant something. Not to mention the fact that he’d had a fair amount of time to get used his new life. When Ardyn considered it…he really had gotten used to it. This life. Enough to feel its rhythms, to have his own routines. He’d picked up on the fact that today was different from the start only because he had something he called normal.

This life was normal now. 

“Here. Take a look at this.” Noctis bent down to the flowers poking out of that bush. He bulled the branches back so Ardyn could take a good look.

White flowers. Purple around the edges of the petals. As if each petal had somehow been dipped in ink and then put back into place. An uncanny sight…

….Just like…

Ardyn did a double take. He got down on his knees and inspected the flowers closely. A yellow center, fleshy petals…there was no mistaking them! Even though it was impossible. Absolutely impossible.

“Solheim lisianthus…Angel’s Kiss. …Is it?” He looked at Noctis in complete disbelief. 

Noctis was beaming. Pride rippled off him in waves. “Yup, Angel’s Kiss. Just like you remember, right?” 

Ardyn barked out a sardonic laugh. “Of course, but…how?” 

“I did some research. Found out that these flowers were all over the place back in those days. The Solheim days, I mean.” He paused. Waiting a beat to let the word settle. Solheim. “And so um…I showed a picture of one to our flower guy. You know, the guy who grows the flowers. He said he could make something that looked the same.”

Ardyn’s mind slowly pieced itself back together. Yes, of course. This wasn’t real Angel’s Kiss. It was just a regular white lisianthus with some kind of genetic engineering or growing technique. 

Obviously. Angel’s Kiss had gone extinct over a thousand years ago. Ardyn didn’t even know where Noctis had managed to find a picture. He’d thought the sight of these flowers was something that would only exist in his memory from now on.

Even the imitation of those flowers though…it was brining him back to that time. So near he could almost smell it. 

“I wanted to surprise you,” Noctis interrupted. He was forever interrupting him. Bringing him back to the present. Refusing to let him get lost in his thoughts. “Since I know you’ve been thinking a lot about all that stuff lately.” 

Ardyn stroked the petals of the white and purple flower. He nodded slowly. “I have. It’s…well…” How could he explain what it felt like to be torn between different millennia? “…you see, it’s difficult to put into words.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.” Noctis knelt down next to Ardyn. “I think I know. I can feel it when we’re together. The weirdness of the whole thing. I get it.” 

There was no way Noctis could get it, but. Ardyn appreciated the words. Sort of. 

“I think I…saw Solheim once? Like, in your head.” 

Ardyn went still. “You’ve actually seen images through our bond?” 

Noctis nodded. He didn’t seem certain, but. He was certain enough to bring it up. “Yeah, I think so. There was a house made out of marble. A garden with statues in it. You and a boy with black hair. And a little girl with red hair. Your…brother and sister?” 

Shock filtered through Ardyn’s system. He said nothing—too stunned to speak. Yes, that was his family…

“I feel like everything was bigger back then. Or maybe it’s just how you remember it.” Noctis sat cross-legged, ready to launch into his theories about Solheim. 

He spoke at length about everything he’d seen. The people, the places. Flashes of experiences. 

It was incredible. Ardyn couldn’t believe he had shared all of this Noctis without even opening his mouth! Here he’d thought he was just getting his feet wet talking about his past, when this whole time Noctis had a direct window to his memories because of their soulmate connection. A link to the past. 

Wherever Noctis’s visions came up short, Ardyn filled in the blanks. He felt driven to paint the full picture now. For Noctis to understand.

A longing to be understood. It was a desire Ardyn had almost forgotten about. But, with Noctis sitting there, listening with all his heart, telling Ardyn’s life right back to him…Ardyn was hungry for it. Yet another craving crawling out from the depths of his soul. 

Speaking about all those things—even the little things! Where he went to school and all that nonsense—felt like a great weight lifted from his heart. An unloading. Passing off all those feelings into the waiting arms of someone who could understand.

Noctis. Somehow Noctis, a twenty year old spoiled child, understood. The world was a mysterious place. 

But Ardyn was grateful.

When their conversation fell into a lull, Noctis laced his fingers around Ardyn’s hands. “It’s been a great year for me, Ardyn. I hope it has for you, too.” 

“…It has.” Ardyn laid his head on Noctis’s shoulder. His **one** , his alpha. Oh yes, he’d had a good year with this man. 

Noctis snuggled closer to him. “Good. Because we’ve got a lot more years left.”

That made Ardyn chuckle. “I suppose we do.”

Bubbly joy emanated off of Noctis. Tingling against Ardyn’s skin. “I’m so like ridiculously excited to share my life with you, Ardyn. I love you _so_ much.” He squeezed Ardyn tightly. “More than anything.” 

A wave of emotions passed over Ardyn. “I know, Noct. I love you too.” 

They shared a kiss. Right there in the middle of the garden. Surrounded by flowers that were an echo of the past. They shared that kiss and Ardyn realized they’d be sharing everything from now on. The past, the present, the future. It was all theirs. To experience together. 

Forget about whatever love had made sense in ancient times. Ardyn was willing to part with that now. This new kind of love—a love that was _alive_ , as alive as they were—was impossible to compare. Ardyn would keep it for himself, treasure it. 

This love was _his_.

“So,” Noctis said, breaking their kiss. “This was your anniversary gift. …Where’s mine?” 

Ardyn actually laughed. This cock-brained alpha. Not even aware how petulant that sounded.

“Ah, I take your point. Fair is fair. Let’s retire to the bedroom so I can give you yours, shall we?” 

**Author's Note:**

> [The “Solheim lisianthus” Noctis gives Ardyn](http://www.abryoungplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Lisianthus-Megalo.jpg) (they call it Angel’s Kiss, I made that up, but this is a real flower). Fun fact about lisianthus: My husband and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary yesterday (July 2nd). Lisianthus made up most of my wedding bouquet, with one red rose in the center. Just a little personal tidbit ;) ;) 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed! Entirely fluff because fluff is good for the soul <3 <3
> 
> Love you all!


End file.
